An Incredible Trip to a Different World of Art

Nancy Garduno, age 12 & Cecilia Gonzales, age 13

For most students, the word “museum” invokes images of large, cold buildings with imposing paintings and a few ceramic sculptures. But reporters from the Simpson Street Free Press recently visited Dr. Evermor’s Sculpture Park and gained an entirely new perspective on museums and art.
Thomas O. Every, also known as Dr. Evermor, was born in Madison in 1938. During World War II, Dr. Evermor worked as an industrial collector.

“I collected so much stuff that there came a point when I either had to do something with it or throw it out,” Every said. “The only problem was I saw good in everything.”

Therefore, Every chose to “do something” with all of the scrap metal he had gathered. He decided to weld his findings into fantastical sculptures to prove that common objects could also be beautiful.

After visiting his sculpture yard, I must say that he has absolutely proved his point.

Every’s outdoor museum, which is a converted former schoolyard, is covered with huge metal sculptures. These large, often bizarre objects made my imagination wander.

“It’s easy to be overpowered by all the goofy stuff, but there is some philosophy behind it,” Every said, referring to his pieces.

Every’s largest piece is the gargantuan Forevertron. This sculpture weighs about 400 tons and is over 120 feet wide. It’s designed to look like a shuttle that could one day blast Every into outer space.

Dr. Evermor’s Sculpture Park is located five miles south of Baraboo on Highway 12. In the winter, the park will only be open on weekends. Starting in March, the park will be open all week.